Ultrasound imaging

Abstract

A mechanism for initiating ultrasound scanning in a way that reduces power consumption. An actuation mechanism ( 250 ) generates an actuation signal that indicates whether or not there is an interaction (between the actuation mechanism and an operator) that increases a force applied by an ultrasound probe ( 210 ) to a subject ( 290 ), e.g., from a baseline force. Ultrasound scanning is initiated responsive to the occurrence of such an interaction. In particular, an ultrasound processing system ( 220 ) initiates ultrasound scanning of the subject at an initial frame rate, using an ultrasound acoustic sensor ( 240 ) of the ultrasound probe, responsive to the actuation signal indicating that there is an interaction between the actuation mechanism and the operator of the ultrasound probe; obtains ultrasound imaging data are acquired by the ultrasound acoustic sensor ( 240 ) at the initial frame rate; processes the ultrasound imaging data to determine a pressure exerted by the ultrasound probe on the subject; and initiates ultrasound scanning of the subject at a desired frame rate responsive to a determination that the pressure exceeds a full scan pressure threshold, wherein the desired frame rate is higher than the initial frame rate.

1 . An ultrasound device for scanning a subject, the ultrasound device comprising:
 an ultrasound acoustic sensor;   an actuation mechanism configured to generate an actuation signal that indicates whether or not there is an interaction between the actuation mechanism and an operator of the ultrasound device, wherein the interaction increases a force applied by the ultrasound device to a subject; and   an ultrasound processing system configured to
 initiate ultrasound scanning of the subject at an initial frame rate, using the ultrasound acoustic sensor, responsive to the actuation signal indicating that there is an interaction between the actuation mechanism and the operator of the ultrasound device; 
 obtain ultrasound imaging data acquired by the ultrasound acoustic sensor at the initial frame rate; 
 process the ultrasound imaging data to determine a pressure exerted by the ultrasound device on the subject; and 
 initiate ultrasound scanning of the subject at a desired frame rate responsive to a determination that the pressure exceeds a full scan pressure threshold, wherein the desired frame rate is higher than the initial frame rate. 
   
     
     
         2 . The ultrasound device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the actuation mechanism comprises a touch sensor located on a surface of the ultrasound device opposite to an ultrasound-emitting surface of the ultrasound acoustic sensor;   the actuation signal carries touch data from the touch sensor; and   the ultrasound processing system initiates ultrasound scanning of the subject by:
 processing the touch data to determine whether a user is touching the touch sensor; and 
 initiating ultrasound scanning of the subject responsive to a determination that a user is touching the touch sensor. 
   
     
     
         3 . The ultrasound device of  claim 1 , wherein the ultrasound processing system is further configured to, in response to a determination that the pressure does not exceed the full scan pressure threshold:
 generate an indication that more pressure is required; and   control a feedback unit to provide a user-perceptible output representative of the indication that more pressure is required.   
     
     
         4 . The ultrasound device of  claim 1 , wherein the ultrasound processing system is further configured to, in response to a determination that the pressure exceeds the full scan pressure threshold:
 generate an indication that a current pressure is correct; and   control the feedback unit to provide a user-perceptible output representative of the indication that the current pressure is correct.   
     
     
         5 . The ultrasound device of  claim 1 , wherein the ultrasound processing system is further configured to control the ultrasound device to stop ultrasound scanning of the subject in response to a determination that the pressure no longer exceeds the full scan pressure threshold. 
     
     
         6 . The ultrasound device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the actuation mechanism comprises a pressure sensor;   the actuation signal carries pressure data from the pressure sensor; and   the ultrasound processing system initiates ultrasound scanning of the subject by:
 processing the pressure data to determine the pressure exerted by the ultrasound device on the subject; and 
 initiating ultrasound scanning of the subject responsive to a determination that the pressure exceeds an activation pressure threshold. 
   
     
     
         7 . The ultrasound device of  claim 6 , wherein the ultrasound processing system is further configured to, in response to a determination that the pressure does not exceed the activation pressure threshold but does exceed an interaction pressure threshold that is lower than the activation pressure threshold:
 generate an indication that more pressure is required; and   control the feedback unit to provide a user-perceptible output representative of the indication that more pressure is required.   
     
     
         8 . The ultrasound device of  claim 1 , wherein the ultrasound processing system is further configured to:
 determine whether the ultrasound device has obtained a desired amount of ultrasound imaging data during a current ultrasound scan;   generate an indication that scanning is completed in response to a determination that the ultrasound device has obtained the desired amount of ultrasound imaging data; and   control the feedback unit to provide a user-perceptible output representative of the indication that scanning is completed.   
     
     
         9 . The ultrasound device of  claim 1 , wherein the ultrasound processing system is further configured to:
 determine a time since the ultrasound device most recently acquired ultrasound imaging data; and, in response to a determination that the time since the ultrasound device most recently acquired ultrasound imaging data exceeds a predetermined period:
 generate an indication that it is time to perform a scan; and 
 control the feedback unit to provide a user-perceptible output representative of the indication that it is time to perform a scan. 
   
     
     
         10 . The ultrasound device of  claim 1 , wherein the ultrasound device comprises an adhesive layer for attaching the ultrasound device to the subject. 
     
     
         11 . The ultrasound device of  claim 10 , wherein the ultrasound device further comprises an acoustically translucent standoff on an opposite surface of the adhesive layer to a surface for attaching the ultrasound device to the subject. 
     
     
         12 . The ultrasound device of  claim 1 , wherein the ultrasound device further comprises a feedback unit comprising one or more LEDs positioned at or near a perimeter of the ultrasound device and controllable by the ultrasound processing system. 
     
     
         13 . A computer-implemented method for initiating an ultrasound scan on a subject using an ultrasound probe, the computer-implemented method comprising:
 obtaining an actuation signal generated by an actuation mechanism of the ultrasound probe, wherein the actuation signal indicates whether or not there is an interaction between the actuation mechanism and an operator of the ultrasound probe, wherein the interaction increases a force applied by the ultrasound device to a subject; and   initiating ultrasound scanning of the subject at an initial frame rate, using an ultrasound acoustic sensor of the ultrasound probe, responsive to the actuation signal indicating that there is an interaction between the actuation mechanism and the operator of the ultrasound probe;   obtaining ultrasound imaging data acquired by the ultrasound acoustic sensor at the initial frame rate;   processing the ultrasound imaging data to determine a pressure exerted by the ultrasound probe on the subject; and   initiating ultrasound scanning of the subject at a desired frame rate responsive to a determination that the pressure exceeds a full scan pressure threshold, wherein the desired frame rate is higher than the initial frame rate.   
     
     
         14 . A computer program product comprising code which, when executed on a computer device having an ultrasound processing system, causes the ultrasound processing system to perform the method according to  claim 13 . 
     
     
         15 . An ultrasound processing system configured to perform the method according to  claim 13 .